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Guffaws ensue, and even Ellie finds this funny.

Good ol' Corey, eh, working the room. It was obvious from the beginning I'd ask him to be my Best Man, even after what happened two weeks ago, right after he came back from the Round the World Ocean Race early.

Corey motions for the crowd to settle down, and they do. "I'm ending my speech on a serious note to say I'm very happy you've found your soulmate in Ellie. She's a rare one, and you've got to treasure her. Parteeeey on now, people.” He rounds the table towards us and gives me a hug.

"I'm going to miss you, man." Corey's being surprisingly emotional.

"I'm not leaving anywhere. Glad you’re back, bro. We're still doing the Sanders Cup in three months' time and the Olympics in nine months." We have a tight schedule, which means I won't be able to take Ellie on honeymoon until after the Olympics.

"You know what I mean. You've said goodbye to the single life."

Is he drunk? Again? He doesn’t stumble but his eyes look feverish. I can feel myself getting angry. On mywedding day. "No more drinking today, okay. I don't want a repeat of what happened two weeks ago." His eyes look hurt for a moment, but he shakes it off.

"Nah, bro, all good." Corey pats me on the back, signs peace out, and goes to mingle with guests. He stops to say hi to his two brothers.

I scan the outdoor area for Ellie. She should be easy to spot. She’s the only one in a white dress, but with these lights flashing, and constant noise, it’s hard to keep my brain in check. I take a deep breath and tap my wrist, like Ellie taught me, and I spot her by the bar. She’s my lighthouse in a storm, so I make my way towards her. As always.

***

Ellie

Corinne wears the most fashionable hat I've ever seen, all feathers and geometrical shapes, putting the mother of the bride, my mum, to shame. She's sipping on our signature wedding cocktail, and checking out the eligible bachelors. "I don't knowhowyou pulled off all of this in such a short time. It's totes amazing."

She’s right. As soon as Sam proposed, we both knew it would have to be at my parents’ winery in Matakana. Private, intimate, family-oriented, and very muchus. My aunts traveled from the UK, his nana is here with her carer, even Corey brought part of his family along.

I sip my wine. "At least the venue was sorted, and the stars aligned, so the fifteenth of September it was." I'm feeling self-conscious in my wedding dress. It's definitely the most expensive outfit I've ever worn in my life, but Sam’s face alone was worth the price as he watched my father walked me down the aisle.

I scan the small crowd. "Where's Tayla? I haven't seen her in a while." But I see my husband coming towards us. "Hey husband. Have you seen Tayla?"

He kisses me gently to not smudge my makeup. What a gem. Corinne waves and moves away to get some more drinks.

"No, wife. She must be around. I'm looking for Corey. I hope he hasn't had too much to drink." Sam looks concerned, and he's got every right to be, after what happened two weeks ago. It could jeopardize everything, from their entry at the Olympics, to their income. I try not to think about it.

Then, out of the blue, Tayla emerges from the vines, followed by Corey, both looking a picture. Tayla's makeup is smudged, and Corey's light-colored waistcoat has green marks on it.

I burst out laughing. "No fucking way. Look." I nod towards them.

Sam's just as shocked as I am. "What the heck. What's going on? What were they up to?"

I whisper in Sam's ear. "You know exactly what they were up to."

He puts his arms around me and scatters kisses from my jawline, to my lips, to my neck.

I gasp softly.

He chuckles. "Let's take this party somewhere else, Mrs. Northcroft." Sam picks me up and carries me as if I weigh no more than a feather.

"Don't mind if we do, Mr. Northcroft." I'll never get enough of Sam.

We’re looking at a future of love, and it feels like sailing into an unknown ocean together, a little scary and a lot exciting. The adventure of a lifetime.